Chain- hoist



Jan. 22, 1963 c. J. DOWELL ETAL 3,074,692

CHAIN HOIST Filed Feb. 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l s F/6 W3 XE INVENTORS CHARLES J. DOWELL HAROLD L. COOPER A TTORN E. Y5

Jan. 22, 1963 c. J. DOWELL ETAL 3,074,592

'CHAIN HOIST Filed Feb. 11, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHARLES J. DOWELL HAROLD L. COOPER BY 3%, WA

ATTORNEYS 1953 c. J. DOWELL ETAL 3,074,592

03km HOISI' Filed Feb. 11, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 s 46 INVENTORS CHARLES J. DOWELL BY HAROLD L. COOPER V ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice V 3,7 i,h92 Patented Jan. 22, 5.363

3,674,692 CHAIN H8151 Charles 5. Howell and Harold L. Cooper, both of 21049 Skyline Drive, Bedding, Calif. Fiied Feb. 11, 19%, Ser. No. 3,36 4- Claims. (til. ass-4s) This invention relates to a chain hoist of the type commonly called in the trade among users as a come-along.

Hoists of this type include an elongated handle, having a pair of opposedly directed hooks pivotally connected to one end thereof, and between which hooks a chain extends. This chain is adapted to engage successive links thereof upon manual oscillatory movement of the end of the handle that is opposite to the hooks. Whether the hoist moves along the chain upon actuation of the handle, or whether the chain is moved past the hoist depends upon the position of the hoist and whether it is anchored to a stationary member, such as a beam or post, or whether the chain is anchored.

in using the word hoist it is to be understood that the device is not restricted to hoisting a load. It may be used to pull any object in any direction.

Heretofore, however, in order to release the tension between the hoist and an object pulled thereby, or to lower a load that has been elevated by the hoist, it has been necessary to either manually release each book by hand to enable it then to engage lower links on the chain, or to manually make a special adjustment that must again be manipulated to restore the hoist to a condition for pulling or hoisting a load.

Gne of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a chain hoist with means that enables the operator to change the action from hoisting or pulling to a release of the load or tension and vice versa without taking his hands off the actuating handle and without manipulating any separate control, and which change may be safely and instantly made at the end of each stroke of the handle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chain hoist that is adapted to move a chain of any desired length therepast, there being no limit as to the length of the chain it is adapted to so move.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a chain hoist that is provided with means for guiding a vertically extending chain upwardly above the hoist as the chain is moved upwardly by actuation of the hoist, so that the slack chain so moved upwardly past the hoist will not interfere with the actuation of the hoist.

An added object is the provision of a chain hoist so constructed as to center the chain that is engaged by the hooks so that the chain, hooks, handle, and the hook or means on the handle adapted to connect with a load will all be in the same plane.

The use of the term chain hoist in the description and in the claims is intended to refer to the come-along type of hoist.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the chain hoist in a position for moving the chain upwardly through the hoist upon vertical oscillatory movement of the handle.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view along line 22 of FIG. 1.

. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the chain engaging hooks as seen from the side thereof that is adapted to be engaged by a link connecting it with the other hook, said link being omitted.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the hook of FIG. 4 as seen at right angles to the latter, part of the connecting link being shown.

PEG. 6 is a view of the housing that partially functions as a rod or bar link connecting the hooks, one side of said housing being removed to show the interior, and the housing being in what may be called a neutral position in that both hooks are connected with the chain.

FIG. 7 is a View similar to that of FIG. 6 but in which the elements therein are in a position in which the handle has been moved past the normal end of a lifting stroke, and upon which a release of the force on the handle and a return of the latter will effect a release of the uppermost of the two hooks from the upper chain link for movement of said hook to a lower chain link between the one engaged by the other hook, for lowering the load.

FIG. 8 is a View similar to that of FIGS. 6, 7 in which the hook held by the arrangement in FIG. 7 has been released. 7

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to that of FIG. 1 but in which view the hoist is in a position in which it is movable along the chain instead of moving the chain through the hoist.

In detail, the elongated handle of the hoist is generally designated 1. The end 2 thereof is the outer end, and is adapted to be engaged by the hand of the operator for actuating the hoist. The end of the handle 1 opposite to end 2, or the inner end, isdesignated 3. The end S of the handle is formed to provide an elongated opening 4 (FIG. 3) having flat opposed sides 5 and a closed outer end 6. The longitudinal axis of the handle extends centrally through opening 4 and end 6.

The central portions 7 of sides 5 are offset oppositely outwardly, each of said portions being triangular so that the ends 8 (FIG. 1) of each offset portion extend divergently from a meeting point along one of the edges of each of the sides 5.

The load carrying, or anchor hook 12 is swivelly connected at 13 with the closed end of an inverted U-shaped member 14, as seen in FIG. 1, each of the two legs of which terminate in a clevis 15 (FIG. 3) that straddles each of the offset portions 7 of sides 5 with the closed end of each clevis between the spaced ends of the divergent end portions 8 of said offset portions 7.

Coaxial pivots 9 connect the ends of each clevis 15 with each offset portion '7. The opposed surfaces of the inner legs of the clevises 15 will be flush with the opposed surfaces of the sides 5 at the ends of the portion 3. This is important for the reason that the chain generally designated to is adapted to pass through the central portion of opening 4, and since the inner legs of each clevis 15 is in the recess formed on the opposed sides of the opening due to ofiset portions 7, these inner legs will not catch on or interfere with free passage of the chain. The chain 16 that is illustrated is of the general type known as a rigging chain, having elongated centrally open links.

The chain engaging hooks, as seen in FIG. I, depend from the sides 5 of the opening 4.

Said hooks are generally designated 17, 18 and each includes an elongated shank 19 terminating in a forked upper end (as seen in FIG. 1) providing a pair of opposed legs Ztl (FIG. 3) the outer ends of which, remote from the shank 19, are between the sides 5 just beyond each of the slanted ends 8 of the offset portion 7, and parallel pivots 21 pivotally connect the terminating ends of the legs 29 to the sides 5 of the opening 4.

As best seen in FlGS. 4, 5, the actual hook portions of each hook, 17, 13 is split to provide a pair of pointed bills Z3, 24 (FIG. 5) with the space 25 between them being adapted to receive one of the links 26 of chain 16 edgewise between the bills, with the shank 19 of each hook extending substantially vertically upwardly as seen in FIG. 4. The bills 23, 24 will extend slantingly upward on their upper sides and the adjacent inner surfaces of the bills along their upper sides will preferably be recessed as at 27 to generally follow the contour of the curved surface of the cross link 23 of the chain that is above link 26 so that said cross link will securely seat on the bills adjacent to their inner ends.

The lower surfaces 28 of the bills 23, 24 are relatively steeply slanted with respect to the slant of the upper surfaces of the bills, and the upper and lower surfaces meet at the outer ends of the bills to define relatively sharp points.

I The structure of hooks l7, 18 is alike, and the bills of the hooks thereon are generally directed toward each other or are opposedly directed, although in the position of the hooks as seen in FIG. '1, the hook 18 is lower than the hook 17.

One of the sides of the hook portion of hook 17 is formed with a boss 2 (FIG. 4) around a central recess 36, which recess is adapted to receive a pivot pin 31 (FIGS. 6-8) therein. A set screw 32 may rele'asably secure pin 31 in recess 34 The same side of the hook portion of the hook 18 is formed with a corresponding boss that has a pivot pin 33 secured therein.

These pins 31, 33 are adapted to pivotally connect with the ends of a link mechanism generally designated 35 (FIG. 1). This link mechanism (FIGS. 6-8) is in the form of an elongated housing 36 having a circular opening 37 in one sidewall 38 thereof through where pin 33 extends, while an elongated slot 39 (FIG. 7) found in the same side of the housing, and extending longitudinally of the latter, passes the pivot pin 31. The housing has a cover over the opposite sides that is similarly apertured for pin 33 and slotted for pin 31.

A pair of elongated fiat sided plates 4%, 41, are positioned within housing 36 with their flat sides in opposed relation and parallel with wall 38 of the housing.

The plates 4%, 41 are corresponding in shape and size, and as the plate 41 is best seen in FIG. 6 the following description will be directed toward plate 41.

This plate has an elongated slot 43 formed in one end through which the pin 33 extends and the opposite end of the plate is formed with a circular opening 44 through which pin 31 extends.

The slot 43 extends longitudinally of the housing 36 and the lower edge of said slot at the end thereof remote from pin 31 is cut away at 45 suiiiciently to enable pin 33 to drop into the cut away portion as plate 41 moves relative to pin 33 (FIG. 7), and the plate 41 has a square shoulder 46 at the end of the cut away, or recessed por tion 45 that is nearest to pin 31.

The plate 40, which is on the far side of plate 41 as seen in FIGS. 6 to 8, positioned so that the slot 47 therein passes the pin 31 while the circular opening 48 at the other end of the plate passes pin 33. The recess 49 in the lower edge of slot 47 has a square edge 50 and pin 31 is adopted, at a certain point, as will later be described, to drop into said recess.

A spring 51 connects the end of plate 41 with the side of housing 36 that is farthest from the recess 45 in plate 41 for yieldably urging plate 41 to the position of FIG. 7, said spring also extending away from the plate 41 in direction toward the end of the housing that is adjacent to slot 43.

A similar spring 52 connects the end of plate 44} that is adjacent to slot 47 with the side of the housing 36 remote from recess 49 for a similar purpose, and spring 52 extends away from the end of plate 40 toward the end of the housing that is nearest slot '47.

A relatively heavy coil spring 54 connects with collars 55 through which pins 31, 33 rotatably extend for yieldably urging said pins toward each other.

The pin 31 is formed with two adjoining flat sides 57, 58 (FIG. 7) where the pin extends through the slot 47 while pin 33 also has two adjoining fiat sides 59, at where the pinextends through slot 43. These pins 31, 33 be ng secured rigidly with the hooks, are rotatable in relation to the housing 36 and plates ill, 41 and dust plates 61 (FIGS. 1, 9) may be provided over the outer sides of wall 33 and the cover plates opposite thereto that are slotted through for the pin 33 and formed with axially aligned circular openings for the pin 31 so as to cover the opposed slots in the Wall 33 and cover to keep dust out of the housing, yet not to interfere with relative movement between pin 31 and the housing. Any suitable means, such as split round spring collars may be secured to the ends of the pins 31, 33 that project from the cover of the housing to hold the cover in place and to hold the housing on the pins.

Assuming the hoist is in the position indicated in FIG. 1, in which hook 112 is anchored in any suitable manner to an overhead support, the handle 2 is in its normal lower position and will be elevated thus causing the lower hook 18 to move the chain 16 upwardly through the open throat or opening 4, and lifting the load that is connected with the portion of chain 1-6 that depends from the hoist.

The upper hook 1'7 will be cammed out of the chain links due to the engagement between the lower slanted cam surfaces of the bills of hook l7 and the links of the upwardly moving chain until the bills of hook 17 snap between the crosswise chain link that is below the one engaged by the lifting hook 1-8. Then a downward movement of the handle will cause the hook 17 to elevate the load while the hook will move relative to the chain to engage the crosswise chain link below the one being elevated by hook 17.

The upper end of the chain above both hooks will pass through an opening in a bracket 62 (FIGS. 1, 2) that is ofiset to one side of the member 14 at its connection with hook 12 and over a roller 63 carried at one side of said opening. This is very important in order to guide the upper end of chain 16 when the latter is being moved vertically upwardly past the hooks. Otherwise, the portion of the chain above the hooks would interfere with the operation of the hoist.

In the event the operator should wish to lower the load when the device is in the position seen in FIG. 1 it is merely necessary for him to urge the handle 2 downwardly beyond the normal lower end of its stroke, and this will result in a relative movement between pin 33 and the plate 41 that will cause the pin 33 to drop into the recess 45 in a position in which the flat side 59 of the pin is against the lower side of the recess and the fiat side 60 of the pin is against the shoulder 46 as seen in FIG. 7.

Upon upward movement of the handle 2 after the pin 33 is in the position above described, the pin will be held against rotation until the flat side so clears shoulder 46, and during this time the bills of hook 18 will have been swung out of engagement with the chain and the chain will have moved downwardly past the hook 18 so the bills of hook 18 will not engage the chain again until it comes to the crosswise link above the one connected with hook 17.

Upon moving the handle 2 upwardly beyond the upper end of a normal lifting stroke, the pin 31 will drop into the recess 49 of slot 47 in plate 40 and precisely the same result will occur relative to hook 17 as previously occurred with the hook 125. Thus the load may be readily lowered, and at any time it may be again raised by merely moving the handle 2 through its normal stroke.

FIG. 8 shows the pin 33 just after it has moved out of the recess 45, and FIG. 6 shows the pins 31, 33 when in the range of a normal stroke.

FIG. 9 shows the hoist in a position in which actuation of the handle 2 will cause the hoist to be moved along chain 16, the latter being anchored, and a load being connected with the hook 12. The operation of the hooks is the same as before, except that the chain 16 is stationary and the hoist is therefore pulled along the chain.

it is obvious that there is no limit to the length of chain that may be drawn through the hoist, and the distance the hoist may be moved along a chain is only limited by the point where the chain 16 is anchored.

it is to be understood that the detailed description is not intended to be a restriction on the invention, but is merely a preferred form of the invention.

We claim:

1. A come-along chain hoist comprising: an elongated handle, a pair of opposedly directed hooks disposed in one plane and pivotally connected to one end of said handle and spaced apart for passage of a chain therebetween, yieldable means yieldably connecting said hooks for yieldably urging them toward each other and into engagement with such chain when the latter is between them to effect engagement of each hook with alternate of said links upon oscillatory movement of said handle in a plane common with that in which said hooks are positioned, and means actuated by said movement of said handle for alternately moving each hook away from the other in said plane at the end of each oscillatory stroke of said handle to enable said hooks to alternately release their engagement with such chain, said last mentioned means including an elongated housing, a pair of pivots respectively rigidly secured to said hooks, and means respectively on said pivots and carried within said housing engageable with each pivot at said end of each oscillatory stroke of said handle to alternately hold each hook out of engagement with such chain for a portion of said oscillatory movement of said handle, said housing being pivotally supported on said pivots for swinging movement relative to the latter.

2. A come-along chain hoist comprising: an elongated handle, a pair of opposedly directed hooks disposed in one plane and pivotally connected to one end of said handle and spaced apart for passage of a chain therebetween, yieldable means yieldably connecting said hooks for yieldably urging them toward each other and into engagement with such chain when the latter is between them to effect engagement of each book with alternate of said links upon oscillatory movement of said handle in a plane common with that in which said hooks are positioned for moving said chain past said hooks, and guide means adjacent to said hooks substantially in line with such chain when the latter extends between said links engageable with said chain for guiding the latter away from said hooks, said guide means comprising a member formed with an opening through which said chain is adapted to pass, and a roller carried by said member defining one side of said opening adapted for supporting said chain during movement thereof through said opening, and means for supporting said guide means on said handle.

3. A come-along chain hoist comprising: an elongated handle, a pair of opposedly directed hooks disposed in one plane and pivotally connected to one end of said handle and spaced apart for passage of a chain therebetween, yieldable means yieldably connecting said hooks for yieldably urging them toward each other and into engagement with such chain when the latter is between them to effect engagement of each hook with alternate of said links upon oscillatory movement of said handle in a plane common with that in which said hooks are positioned for moving said chain past said hooks, and guide means adjacent to said hooks substantially in line with such chain when the latter extends between said links engageable with said chain for guiding the latter away from said hooks, said guide means comprising a member formed with an opening through which said chain is adapted to pass, and a roller carried by said member defining one side of said opening adapted for supporting said chain during movement thereof through said opening, and means for supporting said guide means on said handle, said means for supporting said guide means including a handle supporting hook pivotally connected with said one end of said handle, said handle supporting hook being adapted for supporting said one end of said handle with a stationary support.

4. A come-along chain hoist for rigging chain having perpendicularly disposed adjacent pairs of links, comprising: an elongated handle; a pair of elongated spaced, substantially parallel, spaced hook carrying shanks in side by side relation; pivots connecting one of the corresponding ends of said shanks to one end of said handle for swinging of the shanks about spaced parallel axes that are normal to the length of said handle; chain engaging hooks rigid with said shanks on the ends thereof opposite to said one of their ends; said hooks being directed generally laterally of said shanks and toward each other for passage of said chain between them and in a direction generally parallel with said shanks; each hook comprising a pair of hook-bills between which one of the links of each adjacent pair thereof is adapted to be positioned with one of the other links adjacent thereto extending transversely across the sides of said pair of bills from which the hook supporting shank extends; said sides of each pair of bills comprising each hook being recessed to substantially conform to the contour of the link adapted to extend thereacross to provide a seat for said last mentioned link, a pair of pivots, one pivot of said pair respectively on one of the hook-bills of each hook to the same side thereof; means swingably supported on said last named pivots connecting the hooks on said shanks and actuatable for movement to alternately move the hooks of said pair thereof from the links respectively adapted to extend thereacross and to be engaged thereby upon a predetermined movement of said handle at the end of each oscillation thereof, said last mentioned means connecting said hooks during such oscillatory movement of said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,231,493 Clanton et a1 June 26, 1917 1,692,129 Berkey June 12, 1934 2,227,893 Benjamin June 7, 1941 2,563,603 Haubert Aug. 7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,929 Sweden Jan. 5, 1916 

1. A COME-ALONG CHAIN HOIST COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HANDLE, A PAIR OF OPPOSEDLY DIRECTED HOOKS DISPOSED IN ONE PLANE AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID HANDLE AND SPACED APART FOR PASSAGE OF A CHAIN THEREBETWEEN, YIELDABLE MEANS YIELDABLY CONNECTING SAID HOOKS FOR YIELDABLY URGING THEM TOWARD EACH OTHER AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SUCH CHAIN WHEN THE LATTER IS BETWEEN THEM TO EFFECT ENGAGEMENT OF EACH HOOK WITH ALTERNATE OF SAID LINKS UPON OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE IN A PLANE COMMON WITH THAT IN WHICH SAID HOOKS ARE POSITIONED, AND MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE FOR ALTERNATELY MOVING EACH HOOK AWAY FROM THE OTHER IN SAID PLANE AT THE END OF EACH OSCILLATORY STROKE OF SAID HANDLE TO ENABLE SAID HOOKS TO ALTERNATELY RELEASE THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH SUCH CHAIN, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED HOUSING, A PAIR OF PIVOTS RESPECTIVELY RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID HOOKS, AND MEANS RESPECTIVELY ON SAID PIVOTS AND CARRIED WITHIN SAID HOUSING ENGAGEABLE WITH EACH PIVOT AT SAID END OF EACH OSCILLATORY STROKE OF SAID HANDLE TO ALTERNATELY HOLD EACH HOOK OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SUCH CHAIN FOR A PORTION OF SAID OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE, SAID HOUSING BEING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID PIVOTS FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE LATTER. 